Able Was I Ere I Saw Elba
About the Show
Fred finds out firsthand what it means to have a “Napoleon Complex”
when he and Joe warp back to 1815 Paris and meet Napoleon Bonaparte.
Luckily, Samantha is also there with pioneering aeronaut Sophie
Blanchard, and the three of them experience the ride of their lives.
Curriculum Connections
Introduction
Students’ knowledge of Napoleon may be limited to the image of him
standing with his hand inside his coat. This lesson plan will help
students learn more about Napoleon and what happened to him after
he ruled France.
• biography
• F rance
• e mperors
• military leaders
• N apoleon
• r evolution
• world history
Subject Areas
Historical Background
Napoleon Bonaparte was a masterful soldier, a brilliant tactician,
and an able administrator. He was also a dictator who believed he
could do no wrong.
• language arts
• s ocial studies
Napoleon—benefiting perhaps by the new belief in equality after
the French Revolution—rose very quickly from obscurity to brigadier
general to become commander of the Army of Italy. He took over
France, and proclaimed himself emperor in 1804. For the next eight
years his armies marched through Europe, from Portugal in the west
and as far as the Russian border in the east. But after a disastrous
attack on Moscow, which cost hundreds of thousands of lives,
Napoleon was forced to abdicate in 1814 and was exiled to the island
of Elba, just off the coast of Tuscany.
Napoleon arrived on Elba on May 4, 1814, as “Emperor and Ruler of
Elba,” a position he appears to have taken quite seriously. Once on
the island, he began making improvements. He built a residence for
himself out of a mill; reformed the government; and improved the
roads, bridges, iron mines, and harbors.
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Able Was I Ere I Saw Elba
Historical Background
continued
These changes were viewed by Napoleon’s contemporaries (and later historians) as somewhat of
a joke, because Elba was a small, remote, and primitive place—16 miles long and never more than seven
miles wide. Portoferraio, the island’s main town, was a small and seedy port.
Napoleon’s “coronation” consisted of the mayor of Portoferraio handing him the keys to the city,
as the mayor’s hands shook with fear at the sight of the great general. This was a far cry from
Napoleon crowning himself emperor in Paris at Notre Dame in 1804 in front of the Pope and dozens
of other European leaders. To make matters worse, aristocratic Europeans visited the island to gawk at
Napoleon in his greatly reduced circumstances.
In 1815 Napoleon left the island to reclaim his throne with 700 men, a million francs, four guns,
three generals, and a supply of ammunition. When he reached the town of Laffrey, he was blocked
by an infantry battalion. According to accounts of the time, he approached the opposing infantry, alone
and unarmed, and shouted, “It is I, Napoleon. Kill your emperor if you wish.” There was silence, and
then a shout of “Vive l’Empreur!” Many of the soldiers abandoned their posts and joined him. After his
opponents in Paris fled, Napoleon returned to the city for his coronation.
Although he returned triumphantly, the French people never fully embraced him a second time, and
European powers moved quickly to crush him. Defeated at Waterloo in June 1815, Napoleon abdicated
soon after. The British sent him to St. Helena, where he spent the last six years of his life in a more
distant and restrictive exile than he had experienced on Elba.
re
Want students to get even mo
excited about hi story?
Check out the Napoleon adventure for kids at
www.timewarptrio.com/adventures/napoleon/
Put It Back, Jack! and other interactive games to play.
P lentifax 487—the ultimate time traveler’s guide—gives facts
about Napoleon, the French Revolution, and more!
Cool Books that kids will love.
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Activity 1
Be a Pal—Write a Palindrome
A palindrome is a sentence or phrase or word that reads
the same way backwards and forwards. The word palindrome
comes from the Greek palindromus (running back again) from
palin (back again) and dromos (running). Perhaps the most
famous palindromes are “Able was I ere I saw Elba” and
“Madam I’m Adam.” In this activity, students explore
palindromes and also build their understanding and
appreciation for how words work.
Instructions
1. Introduce palindromes to your class. Do any of the students have names
that are palindromes, such as Bob, Anna, or Lil?
2. Distribute the “Pailndromes” handout. Have pairs of students come up
to the board. Have one student write the palindrome one way and have
the other students write it the opposite way to test whether or not each
phrase or sentence is truly a palindrome.
3. Working in pairs, have students discover more palindrome words,
phrases, or sentences. They can create their own or consult Web sites
such as fun-with-words.com/palindromes.html.
Objectives
• t o play with language
• t o work cooperatively
Materials
• graph paper
• “ Palindromes” handouts
• “ Word Square” handout
Curriculum Standards
• NCTE/IRA
Students apply knowledge of
language structure, language
conventions (e.g. spelling and
punctuation), media techniques,
figurative language, and genre
to create, critique, and discuss
print and non-print texts.
4. Have students who speak other languages contribute palindromes
(if they exist) in their native language.
5. E ach morning, ask students to write their latest palindromes on sentence
strips so they can display their discoveries. After a week or two, have
students vote for their favorite palindromes. Display the top five
palindromes in class.
Take It Further
• H
ave students write palindrome word quizzes on index cards. Have them
write the clue (for instance, a young dog is a palindrome) on one side and
the palindrome answer (pup) on the other side. Hold a “Guess My Palindrome”
game session.
• D istribute a sample Word Square, in which every row and column reads
the same way in both directions. Distribute graph paper and challenge
students, in pairs or small groups, to create their own Word Square.
Put the student-created Word Squares in the class newsletter, on your
Web page, or post them in class.
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Palindromes
Anita got a toga, Tina
A Santa at NASA
Cigar: Tragic
Detach cat, Ed
Go deliver a dare, vile dog
A man, a plan, a canal . . . Panama
Rise to vote, sir
Too bad I hid a boot
Oozy rat in a sanitary zoo
Never odd or even
Straw warts
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© 2006 WGBH Educational Foundation.
Word Square
S
T
E
P
T
I
M
E
E
M
I
T
P
E
T
S
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© 2006 WGBH Educational Foundation.
Activity 2
Vive La Cuisine!
Students will learn about French food and restaurants as they
create a business plan and menu for an imaginary French
restaurant.
Instructions
1. I n order to get a sense of the flavor of French life and culture,
have students work together to make plans for a French café, bistro,
or restaurant.
2. A s a class, develop a simple business plan for the restaurant. Discuss
the customers, size, location, hours, and atmosphere. Decide what the
name will be. Students may want to choose an actual locale in the
community where they think the restaurant could be.
3. E ncourage students to bring in sample menus from local restaurants.
Discuss the different features, such as how the menu is organized,
how long it is, whether or not the dishes are described.
4. Divide the class into groups. Have each group work on a different aspect
of the plan. One group could create the menu, in French and English, with
an explanation of what each dish is. Another group could research sample
recipes. Another group could create signage for the restaurant in French
(the name, “open,” “closed,” “bathroom,” etc.).
5. I f possible, choose one or more items from the menu, such as
hors d’oevres, to make in class. Discuss with students how much of French
cuisine is already familiar to them (e.g., mayonnaise, pommes frites).
6. Plan a “Grand Opening” for the restaurant. If any students, family
members, or teachers are of French heritage, invite them to talk about
their experiences and share a croissant, café au lait, or other dish.
Bon appetit!
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Objectives
• t o learn about French language
and culture
• to work cooperatively
• to plan a business venture
Materials
• art and writing supplies
• French/English dictionary
Curriculum Standards
• NCSS
Individuals, Groups, &
Institutions: The students
will have the opportunity to
compare similarities and
differences in the ways groups,
societies, and cultures meet
human needs and concerns.
• NCTE/IRA
Students develop an
understanding of and respect
for diversity in language use,
patterns, and dialects across
cultures, ethnic groups,
geographic regions, and
social roles.
Time Warp Trio In the Classroom
Resources
Recommended Books
For Teachers
For Students
1815: The Return of Napoleon
by Paul Britton Austin. (Greenhill
Books, 2002) The dramatic story of
Napoleon’s escape from Elba and
march on Paris, as told by
eyewitnesses and participants.
Fiction
The Age of Napoleon
by J. Christopher Herold. (Mariner
Books, 2002) A biography of the
leader examines the influences he
had on Europe and the world.
Napoleon Bonaparte by Alan Schom.
(HarperCollins, 1997) This book uses
maps, photos, and illustrations to
follow Napoleon’s rise and fall.
The Reign of Napoleon Bonaparte
by Robert Asprey. (Basic Books, 2002)
The second of a two-volume
biography focuses on his military
strategies. See also The Rise of
Napoleon Bonaparte by the same
author.
Betsy and the Emperor
by Staton Rabin. (McElderry, 2004)
Young Betsy Balcombe befriends the
exiled Napoleon, the most feared man
in the world. For older readers. See
also My Napoleon by Catherine
Brighton (Millbrook, 1997), a version
for younger readers.
Dear Napoleon, I Know You’re Dead,
But… by Elvira Woodroff. (Holiday
House, 1992) When Marty’s teacher
assigns her class a letter-writing
project, Marty writes to Napoleon
Bonaparte and is astonished to receive
a reply—from Napoleon!
I, Crocodile by Fred Marcellino.
(HarperCollins, 1999)
What would have happened if
Napoleon brought a crocodile home
from his Egyptian campaign? A
resourceful croc relates his
experiences in France.
Go Hang a Salami! I’m a Lasagna
Hog! And Other Palindromes
by Jon Agee. (Sagebrush, 1991)
One in a series of humorous books
about palindromes by the same
author. Other titles include Sit on a
Potato Pan, Otis and Palindromania!
Napoleon Bonaparte by Bob Carroll.
(Lucent, 1994) As the French people
struggled after the Revolution,
Napoleon rose to power, promising
law and order.
Waterloo by Samuel Willard Compton.
(Chelsea House, 2002)
Beginning with Napoleon’s daring
escape from Elba, this is the story of
one of the most famous battles.
What’s the Big Deal? Jefferson,
Napoleon, and the Louisiana
Purchase by Rhoda Blumberg.
(National Geographic, 1998)
A detailed history, with maps,
photographs, and a timeline, about
the Louisiana Purchase.
Nonfiction
The Battle of Waterloo
by David Pietrusza. (Lucent, 1996)
A chronology of events, including an
hour-to-hour account of the famous
battle, begins this account of
Napoleon’s rise and fall.
Daily Life in Ancient and Modern Paris
by Sarah Hoban. (Runestone, 2001)
In Paris, Napoleon constructed roads,
built monuments, such as the Arc de
Triomphe, and transformed the
Louvre into a museum.
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Resources
Web sites
Napoleon
school.discovery.com/lessonplans/
programs/napoleon
Offers lesson plans, extension
activities, suggested reading,
and links to other sites about
Napoleon Bonaparte.
Napoleon
www.pbs.org/empires/napoleon/
flash/fl_home.html
This companion site to the PBS
program contains background, a
timeline, and classroom materials.
The Napoleon Series
www.napoleon-series.org
Dedicated to the study of Napoleon
and the era in which he lived, this
site features articles from amateur
and professional historians on a wide
range of Napoleonic topics.
TIME WARP TRIO
www.timewarptrio.com
This site for kids includes interactive
games, fascinating facts, and booklists
that help make the past come alive.
Please note:
Although these sites were verified at the time
of publication, Web site addresses and content
are frequently subject to change.
©2006 WGBH Educational Foundation. All rights reserved. Time Warp Trio™ is produced by WGBH in association with Soup2Nuts for Discovery Kids. Major funding was provided by a grant from
the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in these classroom materials do not necessarily represent those of the National
Endowment for the Humanities. Based on THE TIME WARP TRIO book series written by Jon Scieszka and illustrated by Lane Smith. Time Warp Trio is a registered trademark of Chucklebait, LLC.
Used with permission. Third party trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Used with permission.
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